# Cheap stuff (booze)



## Silound (May 22, 2007)

Does anyone else ever find the occasional urge to buy something we'd normally turn our noses up at for some unusual reason?

I've been drinking a lot of Wild Turkey 101 lately. It's by far not the top of my list (although I consider it drinkable), but I found myself to be in a mood for sharper liquors lately that have a nasty bite and a sharp kick to them. 

Ergo, I just rolled the foil on the second bottle this month...and there's 10 more bottles from the case sitting in my bar. :tu


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## kjjm4 (May 8, 2007)

There's not much booze that I turn my nose up at. I tend to save my more expensive stuff for special occasions. My usual liquor is Jim Beam. I can drink it straight, on the rocks, or mixed with coke.


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## zonedar (Aug 2, 2006)

I Like Wild Turkey Rye for Manhattans. 

FWIW...


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## Dr_Trac (Nov 8, 2006)

i don't know about wild turkey being bottom of the barrel man...unless you're drinking like bakers/bookers/basil hayden all the time, then i can understand. but unless you're drinking like early times or canadian mist, then it's not really "cheap" stuff.


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## GoodFella (Nov 3, 2007)

i tend to pick up good booze every once in a while. when i am on a cruise i bring back tons of top shelf. this year it was 14 bottles. i find my self drink cheap stuff becasue i dont want to waist the good stuff. i do drink the good stuff just not as fast as the cheap

bombay-segrams
jack- segrams 7
crown-crown
18yr old rum-cruzan 2yr


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## Dr_Trac (Nov 8, 2006)

GoodFella said:


> i tend to pick up good booze every once in a while. when i am on a cruise i bring back tons of top shelf. this year it was 14 bottles.  i find my self drink cheap stuff becasue i dont want to waist the good stuff. i do drink the good stuff just not as fast as the cheap
> 
> bombay-segrams
> jack- segrams 7
> ...


Have you ever tried the Cruzan Single Barrel Rum??? Now THAT is greatness right there! It's only around $25 a bottle and seriously some of the finest/smoothest rum you can find!


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## GoodFella (Nov 3, 2007)

Dr_Trac said:


> Have you ever tried the Cruzan Single Barrel Rum??? Now THAT is greatness right there! It's only around $25 a bottle and seriously some of the finest/smoothest rum you can find!


that is the only one i dont have in my stash. i have yet to try it.


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## gamayrouge (Dec 21, 2007)

Go buy yourself a bottle of erk n jerk, aka E&J. That's pretty much bottom of the barrel. (IMO) X.O. for 25 bucks? alriiiiiiight!


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## AD720 (Jan 14, 2008)

I never felt Wild Turkey was cheap stuff. 

It has to be in a plastic bottle with a handle for it to be cheap stuff. 

Like Vladimir, or Banker's Club.


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## boonedoggle (Jun 23, 2006)

I like free JW Blue Label, but have not ever had it...what does that tell ya?:r


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## croatan (Mar 23, 2005)

I'm not much on rotgut, but some cheap (value) booze I like: Bulleit Bourbon, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Asbach Uralt Brandy, Tito's Vodka, and One Barrel Rum.


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## scoot (May 26, 2007)

AD720 said:


> Vladimir


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## JacksonCognac (Nov 12, 2007)

Mim's gin... that stuff is like $5 a bottle. Great for gin and tonic. :alu


These days I'm tryin to find a compromise between price and quality. I think stuff like Rebel Yell bourbon and Sailor Jim rum represent this idea nicely.


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## Dr_Trac (Nov 8, 2006)

JacksonCognac said:


> Mim's gin... that stuff is like $5 a bottle. Great for gin and tonic. :alu
> 
> These days I'm tryin to find a compromise between price and quality. I think stuff like Rebel Yell bourbon and Sailor Jim rum represent this idea nicely.


Yikes...I've never heard of those, must be bottom of the barrel stuff. :r


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## awsmith4 (Jun 5, 2007)

Early Times bourbon ain't bad for $17 a liter


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## txmatt (May 22, 2004)

I got to wondering if I was wasting money on pricey bourbon when the cheap stuff was out there. I have watched seveal relatively inexpensive bourbons (Elijah Craig, Knob Creek, and Ridgemont Reserve) increase in price 50% in just the past few years.

I thought there had to be other sub $20 bottles out there that were good. 
So I ordered 4 cheap bottles a few weeks ago and they finally arrived today:

Old Overholt Rye Whiskey $10.94
Rittenhouse Rye 100 proof Whiskey $11.06
David Nicholson 1843 $12.06
Evan Williams 1783 $11.23

There was not a cork to be found on the 4 bottles. This afternoon I have sampled the 2 rye offerings. The Rittenhouse is definitely worth th extra 12 cents and then some. The Old Overholt is very drinkable, but I think I will mix the rest of the bottle. (I would drink it straight in lieu of much more pricey Mitchter's or Rock Hill any day though..)

The Rittenhouse is tremendous for the price I got it, I wouldn't blink at paying double the $12 for it, and will probably stock up on it after I move as it will surely increase in price. This whiskey makes me curious about the other Rye whiskey that is 4x the price. I am certain it isn't 4x better but as great as Rittenhouse is, I wonder what the premium Rye whiskey is like.

I will give David and Evan a shot later on, but can give 4 pooping cows out of 5 to the 100 Proof Rittenhouse. :BS:BS:BS:BS


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## JacksonCognac (Nov 12, 2007)

txmatt said:


> I got to wondering if I was wasting money on pricey bourbon when the cheap stuff was out there. I have watched seveal relatively inexpensive bourbons (Elijah Craig, Knob Creek, and Ridgemont Reserve) increase in price 50% in just the past few years.
> 
> I thought there had to be other sub $20 bottles out there that were good.
> So I ordered 4 cheap bottles a few weeks ago and they finally arrived today:
> ...


That is good to know I will keep my eye out for the Rittenhouse. Let us know how the others are. :tu


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## paperairplane (Nov 8, 2007)

I buy smirnoff, seagram's 7, ancient age, and liquors at that level. I prefer Stoli, Crown, and Bombay for up drinks, but for mixed drinks I save the $$$$......


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## Guitarman-S.T- (Jun 14, 2006)

AD720 said:


> I never felt Wild Turkey was cheap stuff.
> 
> It has to be in a plastic bottle with a handle for it to be cheap stuff.
> 
> Like Vladimir, or Banker's Club.


there higher end single barrel bourbon is actually really good stuff :tu
But beyond the bottle of 
Booker's...
Blatons
Zaya 12yr rum
Ciroc
Hennessy ( still dont care for cognac.. the reason why i still have it lol )
and the 1 ltr and 750 of Crown...

I do enjoy some So Co just for mixing purposes ( coke, Cranberry juice etc) and of course Seagrams 7 crown ( BLACK TOOTH GRIN for dimebag !! r.i.p) as well as this scotch, Ambassadors i think its called ( great stuff for the price.. has more of an alcho. bite than lets say the Glen. has, but extremely cheaper, and still quite smooth)


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## Guitarman-S.T- (Jun 14, 2006)

txmatt said:


> I got to wondering if I was wasting money on pricey bourbon when the cheap stuff was out there. I have watched seveal relatively inexpensive bourbons (Elijah Craig, Knob Creek, and Ridgemont Reserve) increase in price 50% in just the past few years.
> 
> I thought there had to be other sub $20 bottles out there that were good.
> So I ordered 4 cheap bottles a few weeks ago and they finally arrived today:
> ...


Get the Evan WIliams Single barrel= for about 17+ $$ i believe its great, they all come with the vintage date when it was in the barrel.. but all will have the same amount of age( bourbon will not improve once its bottled)


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## txmatt (May 22, 2004)

Guitarman-S.T- said:


> Get the Evan WIliams Single barrel= for about 17+ $$ i believe its great, they all come with the vintage date when it was in the barrel.. but all will have the same amount of age( bourbon will not improve once its bottled)


That is damned fine stuff Guitarman, but unfortunately it has gone up in price quite a bit in recent years like many other bourbons that used to hover just under $20/bottle. I haven't seen it for under $20 since at least 2004 - it fetches up to $35/bottle now; the average online price is $25. What vintage do you have on hand? I definitely liked the '92,'93, and '95 ones better than the offerings the past 2 years. You can bet I will be picking up the '98 when available though as it is a steal even at its current selling price.

The Evan Williams 1783 I am going to call a winner. The extra 3 years of aging (10 years) makes it noticably smoother and richer than the Black label, which typically is the same price or marginally less expensive. I have read the White label that is B.I.B., stronger (50%), and younger is quite good as well. I think I need to start a tour of Heaven Hill products as I did with Buffalo Trace. This bourbon is very nice on ice or with a splash of water. At the price I wouldn't feel guilty about mixing it but at the same time it is more than good enough to drink straight..

The David Nicholson is one I will call drinkable, in fact probably better than the Overholt, but I will probably be drinking the rest of the bottle with Ginger Ale.

So out of 4 cheap ass whiskeys, two of them are good enough to drink straight in my opinion.

I can highly recommend both Evan Williams 1783 and Rittenhouse Rye 100 proof.

-Matt-


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## Guitarman-S.T- (Jun 14, 2006)

1783- over the single barrel?
let me know, cause i will be buying a bottle tonight just to have... 
its finally about time i break down and get a decent bottle that i can just enjoy... and not worry about... after sip by sip.. Wow.. this is expensive :tu


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## OilMan (May 12, 2006)

Heaven Hill ---now that is cheap stuff. Less than 10 bucks for a 1/2 gallon


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## JacksonCognac (Nov 12, 2007)

I'll have to pick up that Evan Williams 1783... I can see my grocery store carrying that. Mardi Gras is descending upon my land and having exhausted my current supply of cheap spirits I will no doubt be needing a bottle of something or the other by tomorrow. I'll hit the store with a vengeance... can't promise I'll report back but damnit sir I'll try. 5 star thread. :tu


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## txmatt (May 22, 2004)

Guitarman-S.T- said:


> 1783- over the single barrel?
> let me know, cause i will be buying a bottle tonight just to have...
> its finally about time i break down and get a decent bottle that i can just enjoy... and not worry about... after sip by sip.. Wow.. this is expensive :tu


Don't get me wrong, the single barrel is better, but not 3x better. I am recommending buying the 1783 in addition to the single barrel..:al :al

good-> -->*better * *--->better still *

I need to try:

The Blue and Red label aren't available in the U.S. though, so it will be a while before I give those a shot...


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## Guitarman-S.T- (Jun 14, 2006)

txmatt said:


> Don't get me wrong, the single barrel is better, but not 3x better. I am recommending buying the 1783 in addition to the single barrel..:al :al
> 
> good-> -->*better * *--->better still *
> 
> ...


you got it


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